Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
I wrapped myself in the towel and began the process of detangling my hair. The conditioner had helped, but I was tired when I was done. I opened the door, and Vi sprang from the chair. “Feel better?”
“Yes.”
She walked beside me and indicated the clothes on the bed. “You change, and then we can eat.”
The loose pants and shirt were soft and in a pale blue. There were socks for my feet, which I wanted to put on, but the pain when I bent over was too much. I walked to the door, leading down a short hall and into what I assumed was Roman’s office. Vi sat on the sofa, her legs tucked under her. She indicated I should join her, and I sat down. She handed me a plate. “Eat that.”
“That” was a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs with toast. There was cheese on top of the eggs and a plate of bacon on the table. Vi was tucking into a large omelet, humming in satisfaction.
“Coffee?” I asked hopefully.
“Oh, sure.” She poured me a cup and added the cream and sugar I requested. She sat back, eating, not talking.
“Where is Roman?” I dared ask. “I want to thank him before I leave.”
She almost choked. “Honey, you ain’t going anywhere. I’m sitting with you until Roman the Warrior returns.” She shook her head, taking a sip of coffee. “I value my life, thank you very much, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make it difficult to keep it.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked.
“Don’t try to leave. If I have to call him and say I lost you…” She grimaced. “I’m not sure even Aldo could keep him from going berserk.”
I decided this woman was crazy. “Will he be back soon?”
“I suppose. He said he was making sure some bakery ran smoothly for a while. Putting men on it to watch it.”
I blinked. “You mean my diner?”
“Ah,” she said around a mouthful. “That explains it. I wondered why he cared about a bakery.”
“Who is he?” I blurted.
She grinned, not missing a beat. “If I were a betting woman, I’d say your future.”
Then she went back to eating her omelet, leaving me more perplexed than ever.
We finished breakfast. I ate as much as I could. My throat was sore and my appetite off, but I did my best. Vi didn’t look happy, then shrugged and made a call. Not long after, someone came and cleared the dishes and handed her a tall to-go cup. She thrust it at me.
“What is that?”
“A smoothie. That’ll make up for what you didn’t eat, and I won’t have to lie to Roman.”
“Have you known him long?”
She lifted one shoulder. “Not a long time. I was hired as a waitress in the casino restaurant. Roman wasn’t part of the interview process, but I did meet him on my first day. He and Aldo meet every new employee. I would see Aldo on occasion and I heard about him from other employees, though I didn’t really know him. But we were attracted to each other, and eventually, we gave in. We had an affair, but I expected nothing from it. Then one day, a customer hassled me really hard, and Aldo stepped in. Threw him out. The asshole didn’t like that very much, and he came back another time and attacked me.”
“How awful.”
She nodded, but she had a smile on her face. “Aldo stopped him. He carried me inside and took care of me. He started checking on me, walking me to my car, dropping by the restaurant to make sure I was okay. We grew closer, and I realized I’d fallen. So had he. The rest, as they say, is history. We got married really fast. In fact, we just got back from our honeymoon.”
I had a feeling I was hearing a very toned-down version of their story, but I didn’t pry. I licked my lips, leaning forward. “Is he dangerous? Like Roman?”
She was quiet. “Aldo is lethal. They both are. To other people. To the people they love, they are the best. I realized Aldo was only dangerous to me because of the fact that he held my heart in his hands. But I learned very quickly those hands were perfect for such a delicate job. My heart has never been safer.” She smiled softly. “We got married last month. Roman sent us to Fiji for our honeymoon. We came back the day you were kidnapped.”
“I’m sorry, I—”
She waved her hand. “I love Aldo, but I also know him. He was done with the beach and the drinks and lazing around. It was time to come home, and when I suggested it, he couldn’t pack his bag fast enough. He’ll take me away again soon. I think I would rather have lots of short trips with a happy husband than long ones where all he wants to do is pick a fight or shoot someone to relieve his tension.” She winked. “A girl can only do so much with her magical holes, you know.”